Town Square

One Community...

I was raised in Pleasanton and am in the process of moving back. I recently spent several days in town and found it to be every bit the lovely, warm, well-heeled community I remembered.

Earlier this morning, I was reading through some forum topics and came across one which escalated into a mudslinging affair that gave me cause to ask a few questions and hopefully begin a healthy convesation...

Why all the fuss over Ruby Hills? It is not as if that area is inhabited by a different species of people, just people with different priorities and tastes.

One lady commented that, if we all had the money to live there, we would. Actually, not true. I spent last Saturday looking at properties, some of them in that area, and several days prior, looking at dozens of RH properties online. You couldn't get me to live there, at half the price. Gauche, overreaching, and tasteless have never been my cup of tea, but that doesn't make the people who choose to or need to live there wrong, or bad people, just folks with different needs and priorities. But then I feel the same about the ginormous homes all packed in together along Foohtill Rd between Bernal and the entrance to the CC. Both examples are more humorous than anything, and it is sad there is still a sizeable contingent that subscribe to the belief that more is better and biggest is best. This antiquated, shallow values however, should not reflect poorly or disparage on the people who live there.

We are all part of the same community and as was the case back in the day, when those who lived at Castlewood viewed themselves as the "elite", those of us who choose to live a more grounded, self-assured lifestyle must welcome those who have the need for more material agrandizement into our society. There is a place for them in Pleasanton, but we will need to reach out and make the first step towards helping them find it.

Eventually I will find a piece of land and build or wait until this wonderful home I saw up on the Foothill Ridge goes up for sale. But regardless of where I end up living...can't we all just get along?

Mr. Jones, if your post is your way of attempting to smooth hard feelings in this town about where people choose to live, perhaps you might want to try again . . . maybe this time without the passive-agressive insults of the people who live in the higher-priced neighborhoods ("antiquated, shallow values" and "those who have the need for more material agrandizement"), or the homes they choose ("Gauche, overreaching, and tasteless", "humorous").

Wait LOL!!! . . . you were just kidding, right? Because when you buy that dream house of yours on the ridge, you will have joined those you said have "antiquated, shallow values" and "the need for more material agrandizement". But hey, you know you'll always be able to laugh every time you drive up to your "humorous, gauche, overreaching, and tasteless" new home!

Posted by Dennis Jones
a resident of another community
on Jul 8, 2010 at 10:57 am

Billie,

I apologize if you took my comments as insulting. They were most certainly not intended to be. I merely meant to point out that placing a 5,000 sq. ft. home on a 6,500 sq. ft. lot is, almost by definition, tasteless, overreaching, and gauche. And, I believe that if you look at many of the photographs featured in the RH properties on the Intero Real Estate website, you will see that much of the decor is these homes reflects the same.

What I find humorous is the belief that by placing these overbuilt homes into the quaint, bay area bedroom community of Pleasanton, that one might actually come to believe that they fit in. Furthermore, common sense would dictate the reasons certain people have chosen to portend this lavish lifestyle here are: A) For some reason they NEED to have bigger and flashy in their lives, and B) They can't afford to have it in a community where that lifestyle actually belongs.

All I was trying to point out was was that this is not Atherton or Woodside, it never will be, and I find it humorous that some people try to makle it such. But more important, that just because there are people who need to have and feel that does not, nor should it, exclude them from being a part of this community.

Again, if you were paying attention and hadn't taken it defensively, you'd have seen I was supporting you, not bashing or being passive agressive.

Mr. Jones,
LOL!!! Well, I'm glad you cleared that up! I'd sure hate to think that those folks with "shallow values" who feed their "need for more material agrandizement" by living in communities that don't belong in Pleasanton, in homes that are "gauche, overreaching, and tasteless" on both in outside and inside, would get the wrong idea about how you just want to "get along" with them . . .

Posted by KK
a resident of Pleasanton Heights
on Jul 8, 2010 at 3:13 pm

I think the guy makes some good points. What's interesting is how people from Mohr Park and Birdland rise to the defense of the people RH, whom they most likely don't even know, all the while not a single person from RH responded.

It's a good thing we have to put our true locations on here, otherwise it would be easy for...

Oooops. Nevermind.

Like I said, he does make some good points. The homes in RH are butt ugly and I even looked at the insides of some of the houses on-line and I see what he means. Why is everyone flippin' a nutty? He's just expessing an opinion for chrissakes...

Posted by overreaching
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 8, 2010 at 4:13 pm

humor at it's best ... welcome back home Dennis ... As for me ... i'm moving to 80 acres in Northern Michigan. But, I hope everyone will still think of me as tasteless and elitist ... I need the encouragement

Posted by Resident
a resident of Country Fair
on Jul 9, 2010 at 7:14 am

If most of us were honest, we live in Pleasanton because we have this false sense of safety in our town - as if this town were one big "gated community." If the entire Bay Area were as safe for our kids, especially at night, many of us would live somewhere else. With that said, this is one of the better-run cities in the state with dedicated public officials and an excellent police and fire department.

Posted by tj
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 9, 2010 at 8:28 am

what is wrong with our community that we have to throw stones at each other. We are living in a great city, with a wonderful people. embrace our beautiful multi cultural city for all it has to give.
Stop the hatered for neighborhoods and welcome each neighborhood for what it offers to this city.

Posted by Dennis Jones
a resident of another community
on Jul 9, 2010 at 8:48 am

TJ - Absolutely! I wish I'd said only that, so that my words and meaning would not have been misconstrued.

Scott - Actually, the home wasn't all that huge, and I didn't mean to suggest that spacious was a bad thing. I guess it's a matter of proportion and taste.

I simply see columned homes with huge fountains and marbled terraces crowded into disproportionately small neighborhood lots aa incompatible with a community like Pleasanton. As one person posted yesterday, I was merely expressing my opinion.

I live in Ruby Hill and frankly I am getting sick and tired of all the jealous people that have said anything bad about RH. I have wonderful friends that also live here and they all have beautiful homes. For those people that continue to say bad things about our wonderful community, your jealously is just screaming out. We are tired of hearing about it.

I am sorry, I must have confussed statments like " Ginormous, and it is sad there is still a sizeable contingent that subscribe to the belief that more is better and biggest is best." As you saying big is a bad thing.

Seems like you said a lot of things you did not mean and maybe, just maybe, next time you might want to think before you type.

Hypocrate! And I say that because you have proven that to us with your own words.

Example:You said "sad there is still a sizeable contingent that subscribe to the belief that more is better"

Then You said: It is a sprawling one story with VERY spacious rooms (LR, FR, FDR, Den, Library, Media Room, 5 bdrm - 6.5 bths) patio/rear yard area with a well placed, good-sized pool and plenty of adjacent room for a pool house, volleyball court, and ample grassy area.
Most important (to me) it has connecting land that is available for adding additional garage space, guest houses and stables.

Posted by I love Pleasanton
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 9, 2010 at 9:24 am

Sorry Kelly, you are off your mark. I could afford to live in RH but chose not to. The same is true for many of my neighbors. We didn't want to drive so far to get a gallon of milk, haul my kids to school and soccer, etc. We also wanted to live in an area where our kids could get to know folks from all incomes and house sizes, not just 3,000 sq. ft and above.

We have economic diversity outside the gates, and that is okay with me!

Posted by Dennis Jones
a resident of another community
on Jul 9, 2010 at 9:46 am

Scott - As you have chosen to completely disregard my comment about "proportion" (i.e. placing huge, ostentatious homes in neighborhood lots),it is obvious that I have hit a nerve and offended you and others, for which you, again and for the last time, have my most sincere apology.

Kelly - "I Love Pleasanton" makes an elequent point. Not everyone is jealous because they do not live in your "largesse". Many choose not to, and others choose not to be so visual with it. I pray you are happy and have a good life within your gates and that you also enjoy and participate in the activities of our community with the warm welcome I hereby offer you. I hope we meet one day.

For me, it's not about what someone "has" that makes them special. Anyone can achieve wealth. It is what they do with it to help others, to improve the common good and assist those in need that makes someone elite...in my book anyway.

Posted by Michael Almasey
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:07 am

Whether it be Ruby Hills, Castlewood, Kottinger Ranch or especially the downtown 1st/2nd St. areas you people don't know how good you have it.

While the rest of the Bay Area is being turned into one gigantic, nameless, faceless mega-mall that is indistinguishable from any other town in the entire US Pleasanton has at least managed to keep a small degree of the old town, unique cottage feel that was present here as much as 30-40 years ago. Having grown up on the Peninsula in the 60' & 70's I can't even tell you how it kills me every time I get back to Burlingame, San Mateo & Palo Alto. I practically don't even recognize the place anymore. There is something to be said about the entire 680 corridor (Lafayette, Danville, Pleasanton) where the communities have done a commendable job of balancing residential development, encouraging select retailers to locate in their towns & still managing to maintain an "old town" feel in core areas.

For all the Ruby Hills haters out there (Castlewood, Oak Grove et. al.) just where do you think all of that disposable income is being spent & who ultimately benefits from having an upper-middle class to support our town? The personality of Pleasanton will always be the individual neighborhoods, a lively & thriving downtown, the safety that our community provides & the simple fact that most of us actually know, are at least social to & look after our neighbors & neighborhoods.

Posted by Former RH resident
a resident of another community
on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:54 am

I think ALL areas of Pleasanton are lovely. We were lucky enough to call P-Town home for about 15 years. We have been hard pressed to find a town as nice as Pleasanton anywhere. You should all be thankful to live there no matter what neighborhoods you choose. You are all blessed.

It's Ruby Hill, Dennis, without the "s"...a community filled with dynamic, generous people who regularly donate their time, talents and hard earned dollars in support of our wonderful Pleasanton. Where any one of us decides to live is a choice we each make based on factors that are important to us as individuals and as families, and those priorities are unique and personal.

We have many good friends who live in some of our other beautiful Pleasanton neighborhoods in more "modest" homes but also own weekend cabins, boats, RVs, etc. Should we be judging them? We've all worked hard to afford to live here in Pleasanton and how any one of us spends our money is no one else's business and shouldn't matter. It's such a shame that there are people in this or any community who are shallow and judgmental enough to stereotype an entire neighborhood without really knowing the people who live there.

Regardless of what I have to say no doubt there will be a biased rebuttal made by someone out there, but I'll choose to ignore it. I'm a proud resident of Pleasanton and Ruby Hill and my neighbors are some of the finest, most genuine people I've ever known. Good luck house hunting, Dennis!

Posted by Dennis Jones
a resident of another community
on Jul 9, 2010 at 12:17 pm

JT...You state (far more eloquently than I), "Where any one of us decides to live is a choice we each make based on factors that are important to us as individuals and as families, and those priorities are unique and personal."

Obviously not as tempeate, but that is exactly what I was saying. I usppose that I threw in my own personal thoughts, priorities, opinions contribued to it being taken in a manner I did not intend.

Not once did I ever disparage or demean one single person or group of persons, those inside the gates of Ruby Hill or out.

I appreciate all of the comments to this thread and as it has gone about as far is it can, productively, I end my participation here.

Posted by Former Ruby Hills
a resident of Danville
on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:30 pm

I guess one thing that is wrong with Ruby Hills besides the large homes on no land is that it takes forever, and I mean FOREVER to get to the freeways. Or try taking your kids to school at Amador during rush hour.

I used to live there, and after two years of it, decided to move to Danville, where you do get a nice big home, and lots of land. And yes, I still do that commute to the schools, but it is not half as bad as getting out of Ruby Hills with all the Livermore folks and points beyond cutting through.

Posted by Jimbo
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 10, 2010 at 5:07 pm

Reminds me of a line from Fargo "Well, what you're saying is... well heck, what ARE you saying?

Not sure anyone needs a moral lecture on why they are shallow for buying a big house on a small lot. It's a free country. Pursuit of happiness. Unless they tore down a small house next to yours and erected a huge, "gawdy" palace, why do you care? There are plenty of people who might object to your dream house on the ridge, which is destroying a pristine environment. I'm sure plenty of people will be in line to lecture you about that.

Posted by Reille
a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood
on Jul 11, 2010 at 1:18 pm

"The shallow values should not reflect poorly on the people who live there." You're funny, Dennis. You are very transparent. You're confused that people are disparaging those that live in Ruby Hill. You call them shallow, gauche and tasteless and then make the nonsensical statement that their shallow values should not reflect poorly on them. Okay, their shallow values should not reflect poorly on them, but you obviously think poorly of them. I know you're trying to seem nonjudgmental as you judge them; it's not working.

Posted by Jenny from the otherside of the Tracks
a resident of Downtown
on Jul 12, 2010 at 9:51 am

Oh brother do you even listen to yourselves???? Too funny...I was raised here and I live in a little house downtown by the race track and I cn't count how many ppl have stopped in front of my house and say "Now this is Pleasanton", this is what ppl love about it not all the cluster f___'s around here and oh I live on the hill woohoo. So those of you who move into P-Town and don't have a clue, get over it, you have virtually made it difficult for the people who have been here forever to survive, prices are out of sight, living here is so damn expensive, it is ridiculous but the snobs are fun to watch.

Sounds like Dennis is going to be another one of those individuals who wants to clutter up our hillside - "Most important (to me) it has connecting land that is available for adding additional garage space, guest houses and stables." We'd rather not have you back.

BTW - did you see that Pleasanton just ranked as #63 in Money Magazine's best places to live?